What Auburn basketball's Allen Flanigan, Jaylin Williams said when asked if they're returning
AUBURN — Auburn basketball's matchup with Tennessee on Saturday isn't only important because of the potential March Madness implications. It's also Senior Day, as some players will suit up in Neville Arena for the last time.
Players like Zep Jasper are out of eligibility, but others − like Allen Flanigan and Jaylin Williams − have the option of returning for another season with the Tigers. That's due to the extra year of eligibility the NCAA granted players who participated in the 2020-21 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Asked if they've made their decisions, both Flanigan and Williams said they're locked into the task at hand.
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"Right now, I'm focused on the season and finishing this thing out the right way," Flanigan said Friday. "Once that comes to an end I will start thinking about the factors then.”
Williams agreed: "Yeah, I haven’t really been thinking about it much. We have been struggling to win games like the last five weekends. I'm just trying to get on track with my teammates and figure out how we are going to win and play through March.”
Coach Bruce Pearl addressed the possibility of some of his seniors returning, too.
"We have several COVID seniors," he said. "A lot of those guys could come back, and some will. And some will move on."
The Tigers wrap up the regular season against Tennessee (22-8, 11-6 SEC) on Saturday (1 p.m. CT, ESPN).
Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on Twitter @rich_silva18.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn basketball: Allen Flanigan, Jaylin Williams on possible return
